Truth
by Rose-Aki
Summary: Ino finds an old Yamanaka recipe and decides to try it out on her friends. Unfortunately for Tenten she is the first to suffer the consequences. Tenten/Neji Shikamaru/Temari Sai/Ino
1. Ino's plan

A/N: Hopefully all of you will enjoy my one-shot :)

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It wasn't like Ino had planned to find this, but she was more than happy she did. Maybe on second thought it shouldn't surprise her that her family owned such a thing, seeing that the Yamanakas were skilled in the interrogation department. If this was really working there were endless opportunities, but she had to make sure it worked properly first. So what better way than to organize a little get-together with her friends and test it on them.

A week later the Konoha eleven, Sai, Sasuke and Temari, who was again organizing the Chunin Exams with Shikamaru, found themselves in Ino's house with a more than excited Ino.

"Are you sure everything is okay with you? You are more annoying than usual." Sakura asked.

"Of course forehead. I'm just so happy that we all have finally time to meet up."

Tenten raised an eyebrow at that while Hinata stayed quite.

"Somehow I have a feeling she is up to something." Temari added to the conversation as soon as Ino was out of earshot.

While the girls talked the guys had divided in two groups. Naruto, Lee and Kiba were already halfway through the buffet, having turned normal eating into a competition of who could eat the fastest. The rest sat quietly on a couch viewing the spectacle. Shikamaru was already half asleep while Sai took notes of the social behavior of his friends, curious to learn more about relationships. Neji and Sasuke next to them weren't even trying to look like they were enjoying this get-together.

"Everyone. I want to make a toast." Ino announced and gave all of them a cup of what looked like punch. "To our friendship."

While Sasuke and Neji looked even more annoyed than before Lee agreed enthusiastically.

"Yeah to our youthful friendship."

After that the shinobi drank, except for Ino who just held the cup to her lips pretending to take a sip as well. She needed to have a clear head if she wanted to observe the results closely.

"So now that we are already sitting together let's play a game of truth." Ino suggested.

"Isn't it normally truth or dare?" Sakura interjected.

"Yes, but we are playing only truth now. We all have known each other for so long, but I'm sure there are still new things to learn about each other."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

All eyes turned to Hinata, who went red immediately. She didn't know what had possessed her to say her opinion. That was the same moment Tenten knew something was up. Whatever Ino planned could only turn out bad.

"I'm sure you will be fine Hinata." Ino grinned brightly. It seemed it was working. If the others reacted in kind her tests would be successful and a totally new form of interrogation would be possible for the Yamanaka clan.

Hinata who didn't want to open her mouth again, afraid what she might reveal, only nodded in response.

Now all Ino had to do was pick someone for her test. Her eyes searched through her friends until they stopped on Tenten and Temari. These two were the only ones who never revealed anything on their girl sleep overs, an event Ino planned regularly as well, even when it was obvious that they had feelings for Neji and Shikamaru. Both of them would probably not speak to her after she had done this and both of them had a scary arsenal of weapons, Temari had her fan and Tenten every weapon known to mankind. However seeing that Tenten and Neji had know each other longer than Temari and Shikamaru Ino decided that it was overdue that they found together.

"Well I pick Tenten."

The brunet flinched slightly at Ino's bright grin. The feeling from before, that something was terribly wrong, was intensifying.

"What do you feel for Neji?"

For the first time since Ino had known Neji he looked interested, while a look to Tenten made her waver for a moment. Was it really right to test this on one of her best friends? Maybe it was wrong to force Tenten to tell the truth, but before she could stop the outcome of her foolish plan it was too late.

Tenten was about to deny that there was anything more than friendship between them like she had done for years, when her mouth didn't seemed to obey her any more.

"I love him."

The weapon mistress looked just as shocked as the rest of her friends. She didn't know how that could have happened, she never intended for anyone to know that and especially not him. The only thought she had right now was to get out of here. She stood up and went out of the house and into the garden.

"Ino what did you do? We all know she would never have said that on her own." Surprisingly it was Hinata who said that, but this time she didn't seemed to be ashamed of speaking up.

"Well..." Ino bit her lip. "I might have given you all a drink based on a recipe that should force people to tell the truth. It seemed no one ever tried it and I wanted to test it."

No one noticed that Neji's eyes widened at that. So Tenten really felt that way about him.

"So just to test a new method of interrogation you forced Tenten to admit her deepest secret." Temari seemed just as angry as Hinata.

Hearing it being said out loud made Ino feel even more guilty.

"I need to talk to her." Hinata, being the closest to Tenten, finally announced. When she was about to stand up she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and was surprised to see Neji standing there.

"I'll go." Without saying anything else he left the room and stepped outside.

"Let's just hope you didn't ruin everything between them." Sakura said thoughtfully.

In the garden Neji saw Tenten standing not too far away from the house with her back to him. He stepped closer, but before he could say anything Tenten spoke up.

"I'll ask Tsunade-sama if I can change teams. Don't worry I won't be a bother." Her voice sounded strong despite the circumstances. He already knew so she let the rest of the truth about her feelings for him out. It didn't matter now anyway. "I never meant to fall for you. You don't want feelings to hinder you and I understand that. I knew from the beginning that it was hopeless so as soon as I realized my feelings for you I suppressed them and never told anyone about them. I don't know why I did today."

"Ino gave us all something similar to a truth serum." His voice was unusual soft to Tenten's ears but that was probably just her imagination.

"I see." So that was Ino's plan all along, making her confess her feelings. Her next words came out as a whisper. "I'll talk to Tsunade and you don't have to see me ever again." With that said she only wanted to go, but after her first step she was stopped by a hand on her wrist.

With soft pressure Neji forced her to turn around. She wasn't looking at him, but he could see tears running down her cheeks. The sight of her made his heart ache. He needed to let her know that he held the same feelings for her, but he was never good with words so hopefully he could make her understand.

"I don't want you to change teams, but it don't want things to stay the same."

It wasn't the best love confession, but it was the best he could do for now. One day he would be able to tell her straight up he loved her, but that would take time for him to get used to opening up. Hopefully she understood what he wanted to say, she was after all the one who knew him best. This time she didn't disappoint him either.

Tenten looked at Neji for the first time since her confession and almost gasped at what she saw. His eyes were soft, a feeling in them that reflected her own for him. He might have not said it directly but his normally so unreadable eyes told her everything. She couldn't hold back a smile which he mirrored with a smaller one.

It was the first time Neji felt so happy for a long time. Softly he wiped the last tear on Tenten's cheeks away and leaned in. When their lips met both of them thought that being true to themselves felt amazing.

Unknowingly to the new couple their friends were watching them from inside.

"See I knew it would work." Ino smiled brightly. There was no way she would admit that she had been worried. "Well now that we all know everything we say is the truth who is up next? What about you Temari?"

The blond Suna-nin was shocked before she looked at Shikamaru from the corner of her eyes. He was surprisingly awake and was watching her observant. Oh oh.

"No way Ino."

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A/N: Please review and tell me what you think :)


	2. Backfires

A/N: I have been asked if I can write a little sequel to this for the other couples. This was meant to be a one-shot but I always like to make my reviewers happy :) So for YenGirl the sequel includes Ino/Sai (hopefully I can write Sai in character) and for mississippimudpiecraves Temari/Shikamaru. Thanks again to all reviewers. Now I hope all of you enjoy the sequel :)

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Sakura saw how desperate Temari was to distract the others from herself and Ino definite deserved a little attention, so why not make Ino taste her own medicine?

"And what about you Ino? You probably were smart enough to not drink any of the truth serum, but don't you have something to say to Sai?"

Temari was relieved that the attention was off of her, but she could still feel Shikamaru's analyzing eyes on her. She was truly happy for Tenten that her and Neji were finally together, but she doubted that Ino's plan would work for her and Shikamaru. It surprised the Suna-nin that Ino knew about her feelings for the lazy genius because she had thought she hide them well, but if Ino knew wouldn't Shikamaru as well? Temari shook her head lightly. Shikamaru might be a genius when it came to tactics, but in the matter of the heart and when it came to women he was dense. For now she had to stop thinking so hard about it and concentrate on the situation at hand and that was revenge on Ino.

"Yeah Ino why don't you tell Sai what you told us on our last girl sleep over?" The Suna-nin smirked at the blond kunoichi who went pale.

Ino looked pleadingly at Hinata for help who to everyone's surprise shook her head.

"I think they are right you should tell him."

Sai had stopped taking notes of the new couple still standing outside and was now facing Ino.

"I don't seem to understand. What does she need to tell me?"

Feeling Sai's eyes on her Ino went even paler than before. She couldn't believe her friends were turning against her, but to be honest she knew she deserved it. Telling him what she told her friends on the girl sleep over? That would mean she should confess, but could she really do that? It was obvious that Sai had never been in love with anyone. His social skills were even worse than Sasuke's and Neji's together and he clearly didn't know much about relationships. Sure he tried his best to learn from books or taking notes, but would he really understand the deep of her feelings for him?

"Ino?" His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. It looked like he wasn't going to drop the matter. For a moment she was tempted to lie, she after all didn't drank the truth serum and she knew her friends wouldn't be so cruel to tell Sai straight out, but then she remembered that it wouldn't be fair.

"Sai would you help me in the kitchen for a moment?" If she was about to get rejected she wouldn't want it to be in front of everyone.

Sai, still more than confused, nodded and followed Ino into the kitchen.

Ino took a deep breath before looking straight at the shinobi next to her. It would be difficult, not only to confess but also to make him understand the feelings she held for him.

"Do you know what love is?"

"You mean the love I feel for my brother?" Sai was proud that he finally, after Naruto opened his eyes about the meaning of deep friendship, understood the bond his brother and him had shared.

"That's family love." Ino paused for a moment, knowing that what she was about to say would change Sai's opinion on the word love. "What I mean is romantic love." Seeing that Sai wasn't following she continued. "It's not what you feel for your friends or family it's what Tenten and Neji share for example."

"You mean kissing and hand-holding and looking into each others eyes." Sai could remember now that he had read about it in a book. This kind of love was the most special and deepest one apparently.

"Yes, you can put it like that for now." She bit her lip before finally confessing. "This is the kind of love I feel for you."

Sai's eyes widened slightly. "You want to kiss me?"

At that Ino blushed and averted her eyes from his. She wasn't sure if Sai really understood the meaning of love, but this was a start. Without looking up she nodded.

"I'm sorry but then I don't see the problem. I want to kiss you too."

Ino's head raised at that. Sai was always blunt, but with the truth serum she could be even more sure that he meant it.

"But it's not only about that. What do you feel for me?" If she began a relationship with Sai she wanted to be sure he wasn't misinterpreting his feelings.

"You're a good friend." At that Ino's heart sank, so he was not understanding his own feelings. It seemed he felt only friendship for her, but when he continued her mood changed. "And you are very attractive. When you are around my heart feels strange and I want to kiss you."

It would be a long way until he would fully understand what romantic love really meant but Ino saw hope that she could help him understand it. Seeing that he already felt some kind of love for her made her happy and maybe with time they could become a couple.

"Well than kiss me." It would be the first step in the right direction and for now it was enough for Ino.

Meanwhile the others in the living room were on their way to the front door. With the host absent all agreed that it was better to leave before anything else could happen. No one really wanted to say anything until the effect of the truth serum wore off, fearing they would reveal too much.

Temari was about to go in the direction of her hotel when Shikamaru walked up to her.

"I'll walk you."

"You don't have to. I know the way to my hotel. It's not like I'm in Konoha for the first time."

"I'm your guide and it's my duty, so stop complaining troublesome woman."

Troublesome woman, that was all he saw in her. Temari sighed. After seeing Tenten and Neji finally getting together she felt even more lonely than before. If even Neji was able to love why couldn't Shikamaru? She had known from the first moment she realized that her feelings for him turned into something more than friendship that it was hopeless. He always said that all women were troublesome. Not only that but he had once told her how his ideal wife should be and she was none of these things.

Forcing herself to ignore the pain in her heart she felt at that thought she decided to distract herself.

"Do you think the effect of the truth serum is still active?"

If anyone knew, it would be Shikamaru. He was after all good friends with Ino since they were little and she was sure he knew the one or other Yamanaka clan secret.

"Well the Yamanakas are specialists when it comes to interrogation. The serum surely has a long duration of effect for all-day interrogations, but I'm sure by tomorrow it has worn off."

If that was true all she had to do was not speak to him until tomorrow and she would be safe, so she kept quiet the whole way to the hotel. When they arrived in front of her room only a normal goodbye separated her from keeping her secret, but Shikamaru had other plans.

"What did Ino mean? Are you in love with someone?"

It was clear to her that the truth serum had still an effect on him because normally he wasn't so blunt and when she felt her own mouth open she knew it still affected her as well.

"Yes."

His next question was predictable, but she didn't want him to ask it because she knew she would say the truth.

"Who?"

The only way to get out of the situation was to retreat to her room and that fast. With shaking hands she opened the door, but before she could even make a step into her room she was held back. With a light tug Shikamaru forced her to face him again.

"Temari, who?"

It was futile to run away now and she bit her lip to stop the next word from coming out, but it was hopeless. She closed her eyes, if she had to get rejected she at least didn't want to see the disgusted look on his face.

"You."

Now it was out in the open and she felt his hand on her arm stiffen. In this moment she cursed Ino. This was all Ino's fault, she just ruined everything between Shikamaru and her and that only to test a stupid truth serum. Feeling his grip loosen she made a step inside her room, but his voice stopped her.

"Why are you running away?"

"I know how rejection looks Shikamaru." Her voice was bitter. He had been the only one she had loved in that way, so technically she didn't know what rejection looked like but she was sure it felt exactly like this. Her heart felt like a kunai was stuck into it and she only wanted to get away.

"Troublesome woman always so impatient. You were that in our first fight back at the Chunin Exam and you are still now. Let me at least answer before you jump to conclusions." For the first time since she so involuntary confessed Temari felt hope rise inside her. Somehow it didn't sound like a rejection any more and his next words only confirmed that. "As troublesome as it is I feel the same way."

She looked up at him and saw the same blush on his face that was probably showing on hers. He really meant what he said, not only due to the truth serum but she could see it in his eyes. Slowly she leaned in, when he had made the first step to their relationship she could at least do the second one. When their lips met Temari thought that maybe she had to thank Ino later.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it :)


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